


Top Stage

by amethyst_ice22



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Family, Friendship, M/M, Modeling, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 22:43:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1138308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amethyst_ice22/pseuds/amethyst_ice22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a family full of celebrities, there would always be one who would stray from the path. Sawada Tsunayoshi wasn't any different. He didn't want to be one, but as always, when Reborn is involved, nothing goes as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Trial and Error

* * *

Tsuna always wondered if somehow he just happened to be born at the wrong place and at the wrong time. No, maybe, he was just adopted and wasn't related to any of the people he was eating breakfast with. Yes, that must be it. No doubt about it. He sighed audibly into his cereal. Why was he so pathetic?

He wouldn't feel so depressed if only his family was a normal one. But  _no_ , they weren't. They were far from it actually. What was he talking about? Well, the mere fact that all of his family members were celebrities. Each and every single one of them, except for him, that is.

The Sawada family were known throughout the entertainment industry as a formidable family that cultured the best genes as they say. Why? To start off, his father, Sawada Iemitsu, was a blockbuster director. Every single movie he had produced always was a hit.

Whether said movies were of action, comedy, and romance genres, all the movies sold tickets like hot pancakes. It wasn't an exaggeration though. The many trophies littered around the living room were proof of that.

Now, his mother, Sawada Nana, was a renowned chef. She was a culinary genius, and was considered a celebrity among the aspiring chefs around the country, and to the world too perhaps.

She whipped up the most elegant, and expensive desserts, and created the most unique signature dishes. Her secret? Sprinkles of her most favourite spices—love and care. His mother always made her concoctions with such precision, because she believed, that every consumer was family. That simple belief, enabled her to create the tastiest dishes, people had ever had the chance to sample.

His parents were at the hype of their carriers, and his older brothers weren't any different. He had two older brothers actually. His oldest brother, Sawada Dino - his alias is Dino Cavallone - was the famous leader of the band Vongole. Who would even name their band, clams? Tsuna didn't understand and he never would.

Teenagers and women alike adored the name though, and the band's popularity sky rocketed within the first year of their debut. There were six of them in the band. His brother Dino was the oldest among his band members, and ultimately became the leader due to his seniority, though he was only twenty years old. He was both the leader and lead bassist.

His other older brother was Sawada Ieyasu, also known as Giotto. Now, his other brother was a well-known model and actor. Having modelled in famous brands of clothing all over the world, he was considered to be one of the most sought after model of their time.

His abnormally gorgeous looks always attracted trouble since they were young, since he was too good-looking, just as his mother had stated. Aside from endorsing the most expensive brands ever known to man, his brother was also an incredible artist. Giotto debuted as an artist as the lead actor for one of his father's movies, and from then, he had become a huge hit. His charisma just oozed on and off camera. He's only nineteen years old

Right, he also had a younger brother. Their adorable, little Fuuta. Aside from being a math genius and the weird ability to predict fortunes, their youngest member was also a child actor. Being endorsed in many  _many_ commercials and brands, his younger brother also knew how to act.

Every emotion needed was shown perfectly in every show he was casted in. His parents, of course, only let Fuuta choose which ones he'd like to work in. Strangely, his adorable sibling enjoyed working in the industry. His little brother was only eight years old.

The last but not the least, the family's overall manager, Reborn. That's right, that's what his name was, plain Reborn. He had known Reborn for most of his life, and he was scary as hell. When he was younger, Reborn had been his former tutor, and he had never, in his whole life, been so traumatized.

From learning how to dodge bullets to acing tests, his life had been living hell under his unorthodox tutelage. Well to his defence, all his brothers were subjected to the same treatment, even innocent little Fuuta. Though his were more torturous and harsher. Why? Because he was Dame-Tsuna. He was weak, stupid, and everything in between.

Reborn resolved to awaken his 'godly genes' as he had stated multiple times in his damned life. For Tsuna, such genes seemed to skip him during his birth, and being a celebrity wasn't his interest. Reborn, however, thought otherwise, and until now, he was doing all he could to make him suffer, until he enters the world of celebrities.

Like hell he would. Right, he forgot to mention that his devil tutor along with his illegal ways was a famous model. He had the build fit for the most expensive suites, and looks women would die for. Tsuna blanched at this. If only those women knew of his sadistic ways, then, they would think twice of wanting to date him.

Now, where did he stand? Nowhere, absolutely nowhere. While everyone of his family was famous as hell, he was nobody, no one knows about. Tsuna wouldn't even be surprised, if none of the people knew, that the amazing family of the Sawada had a loser son like him.

Through the years, being shadowed by his family's brilliance had him inevitably developing an inferiority complex. He felt as if he would never be good enough, despite being able to do well in school. He was in the honors' class after all. Still, every single day, it felt as if were threading on thin ice, and just one wrong move could have him drowning in the icy water beneath.

Slowly, he had come to accept his mediocrity compared to his family members. Though sometimes, he could still feel the insecurity creeping up his system. Well, it's not like he had anything else to do. He didn't want to be a celebrity, and he doubted he had the qualities to be one. After all, he was the only one who strangely inherited his mother's features.

Dino, Ieyasu, and Fuuta all had blond manes while he on the other hand, had long brown hair which he received from his mother. His brothers all had golden eyes, just varying in hue and clarity, while he had dull, brown eyes. See? He wasn't celebrity material, never was, and never will.

He never did understand why Reborn was so insistent, on him following the same path as his family. He didn't have the looks, the talents, and the charisma his family seem to exude so easily. He really was pathetic and he was aware of that.

Sighing quietly, he stood from his seat, ignoring his parents' sickening display of affection. His older brothers lived at different apartments, successfully providing for themselves while he, a seventeen-year old teen, was jobless, and a senior at his high school. To think it was his birthday today too, not that anyone remembered though. True, his family loved him dearly, and he did them. However, they were too busy to be bothering about him. Walking past Reborn, he stopped.

"Oi Dame-Tsuna, go home early from school. The family will be interviewed as a whole later. Run away and I will hunt you down." Reborn stated crisply causing him to sigh once again. Trust his former tutor to input a threat in every sentence.

"Hai hai, I'll be home soon."

…

At five, he was finally on his way home. As always, school had been uneventful. For him only, anyway. He didn't have friends, after all. He really was pathetic, wasn't he? His inferiority complex had him turning into a completely shy person, thus, making friends was close to impossible. He really needed to get a life soon.

The brunet stopped in his tracks, when he saw a van parked outside their house. He looked confused for a moment, before he nodded in understanding.  _Ah, the interview._ Truthfully, he resisted all he could just to be left out of the interview, yet his parents were firm in their decision. He had to participate, lest he be sent to his grandfather in Italy.

Now, that was when he obeyed like a dog, and did as was told with no questions asked. It's not that he didn't like being with his grandfather, it's just that his adopted son was scary, and his friends were no less scary. He didn't want to be scarred for life. His brothers insisted that he join in, and so his horrible fate was decided. He uttered his ultimatum though, that this would be the first and  _last_ time he would ever be seen in television, or any other form of advertisemen for that matter.

Tsuna sighed, before going around the block, intent on going inside the house via the backdoor. Quietly creeping in, he flinched when he heard voices from the living room.

"Nana-san, you have a lovely house. What inspired you and your husband to design it this way?" Tsuna didn't linger long enough to know the answer, since all he wanted to do was hide in his room, and hopefully, have them forget he existed long enough to be left out of the interview. Quickly, he opened his door and locked it with a small 'click.'

"You're not getting out of this, Dame-Tsuna."

"Hieeeee!" He cowered against the door, when he saw Reborn sitting on his bed, smirking at him. He settled his hand against his chest, his heart trying to beat out of his chest.

"Don't scare me like that, Reborn!" His former ignored him, instead, striking up a conversation with Bianc—his eyes widened considerably.

"Reborn….why is Bianchi in  _my_  room?" Tsuna asked scared suddenly. Bianchi was their family's personal beautician, and hair dresser, but why was she here? Surely, she had to be downstairs, assisting his family. Reborn turned to him, his smirk still in place.

"You're becoming stupider as days go by, Baka-Tsuna. Bianchi would be fixing you up for the interview, which is in…" Reborn paused and chanced a glance at his clock. "….half an hour. We don't have time, so be a good boy and sit down on the bed." Tsuna backed away and tried to move away from their prying hands. He wasn't a dog that needed to be groomed, damn it! Sure, he had untameable hair - in spite of his long ponytail - it doesn't mean he needed any fixing!

"HIEEEE! No! Get away from me! Stop it!"

…

The occupants of the living room all looked up, hearing the indistinct sounds of shrieking and thumping from the floor above. The interviewer turned to them, smiling hesitantly.

"Uhm…Nana-san, what's happening upstairs?" She smiled, unaffected by the noise upstairs.

"Don't worry about it, Naomi-san. My adorable son is just getting ready for the interview." Naomi stared at her confused.

"Don't you only have three children?" The interviewer inquired, her gaze wandering a bit, accounting the three formidable sons of the proud parents. Dino laughed, sitting cross-legged beside his mother.

"Haha. We still have our cute younger brother, right Giotto?" Said teen nodded, his face set in an indifferent mask.

"Ah. His name's Sawada Tsunayoshi." Fuuta beamed at her, and Naomi could only wait anxiously for their last member to come down. It came as a surprise to her, and every single one of her crew to find out, that the Sawada family actually consisted of six members, instead of five.

They knew of no one else bearing the Sawada family name, then, this last family member must not be in the entertainment industry then. Naomi could only wonder why. With the Sawada family's superior genes, surely, this Tsunayoshi must be of awe-inspiring looks too?

"Sorry for the wait, Dame-Tsuna was being a complete imbecile." Reborn walked in, striding in sure steps that Naomi was momentarily stunned. His good looks really were too captivating, even for someone like her. She coughed into her fist.

"So, where is he, Reborn-san?" The raven-haired man looked back, gesturing towards the entryway. Naomi looked confused, before following his line of vision, only to be stumped speechless.

"U-Uhm…sorry for making you wait…" He trailed off as he bowed low. Naomi watched as the Sawada brothers all embraced the petite brunet, all greeting him warmly. Was this for real? This young man before him looked absolutely dull!

Sure, he had long, beautiful hair -  _must be inherited from Nana-san -_ but with the round glasses covering most of his face, he looked absolutely boring. Naomi pursed her lips. This would be interesting then. To think that the celebrity family with superior genes had one major flaw. Oh, how the press would love to get a hold of this juicy piece of detail. She just couldn't wait.

* * *


	2. Bridged Encounter

* * *

There was something to be said about perfection. And Kita Naomi knew it full well. Perfection did  _not_ exist. A grin, almost manic in nature, formed on her face. Her slightly pleasant features pegged down a notch or two at her expression.  _This_  was  _it_. This was definitely it! Her biggest scoop yet was unraveling before her very eyes as he watched the whole of the Sawada family interacting with one another.

She nibbled her lower lip in contemplation. True, they were absolutely breathtaking, especially now that they were all in one place. They made a picturesque scene straight out of a royal family's portrait. Of course, the king would be none other than the head of the family, Sawada Iemitsu. His presence alone could catch everyone's attention. His build made him seem like a powerful lion guarding his pack. Yet his kind and sometimes goofy attitude but very stern personality made him the perfect man to rule over many.

Now, the queen would be the one and only Sawada Nana, of that Naomi had no doubts whatsoever. She wasn't downright gorgeous but Nana possessed an angelic smile which enticed everyone who met her. Her motherly disposition as well as gentle nature made her the perfect wife for the ruling monarch.

Naomi observed them in silence while waiting for the rest of the crew to finish setting everything up. The interview wasn't scheduled for another half-hour so they— _she_ had plenty of time to prepare for this once in a lifetime opportunity to interview the greatest family to ever set foot on celebrity grounds. Her hazel eyes glanced to the right only to see the three gorgeous sons huddled in one corner.

 _Right._ A family wouldn't be complete without children. Starting off with the oldest son, the king and queen had produced only the finest of breeds. A slick smile and suave mannerisms, Dino Cavallone deserved the right to be the heir. He was responsible, kind, and endearing. Coupled with his voice, he was the very definition of a prince.

The second son, Giotto Vongola, was no less brilliant. If anything, there were times he outshone everyone in this room. His golden eyes and hair as well as his apathetic stare and the most drool-worthy body Naomi has ever seen, Giotto could give his family a run for their money. Now now, we can't forget the oozing charisma. All in all the second son was a complete package.

Last but not the least, the youngest son, Sawada Fuuta. The last son was adorable, still growing into his body which Naomi was sure would be just as well-built as the rest of the Sawada men. Fuuta was known to be able to predict fortunes which as the rumors go, were  _absolutely_ accurate.

Naomi scoffed in silent mockery. Who believed in those occult-ish things? Count her out for she wasn't one for such things. But Fuuta was also talented. Being able to act so well at his age and be a little prodigy to boot, the third son completed the whole of the Sawada Family.

They were perfect,  _too_ perfect. Naomi grimaced. She just like the rest of her peers couldn't accept such an anomaly. Perfection didn't exist, and she, as a reporter, was tasked to find out the blemish this seemingly perfect family had. Alas, her efforts and perseverance to score an interview with this family finally paid off because right before her very eyes, was the imperfection she was looking for.  _  
_

"Naomi-san?" She acknowledged their cameraman with a nod, her 'business' smile back in place.

"Yes?" He gestured to the back, his attention solely on adjusting his camera even when he spoke.

"We're ready to start anytime." Her smile widened.  _Finally,_ she thought as she chanced a glance at her subjects for the day,  _another celebrity exposure in the works._ _  
_

"Yes, thank you, Miyano-san." She turned away from him and began walking towards the center of the room. She clapped her hands twice and smiled pleasantly when it caught the attention of everyone present.

"We'll be starting now, Sawada-san. If you would all please sit huddled together."

Iemitsu nodded, a smile on his lips as he swept Nana off her feet and carried her over to the more spacious couch found to the right of the room. Naomi resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the flirting couple. Seriously, they still acted like newly weds. The deadpanned look of their sons only proved how immune they were to these giggling pair of lovebirds. Naomi ignored them in favor of their sons. She smiled her best, hoping to catch the attention of either of the two older sons.

"Dino-san and Giotto-san please sit on the couch adjacent to your parents, while Tsunayoshi-san and Fuuta-san wi—"

She was cut off as both men stood and walked towards her. Her heart skipped a bit and a squeal almost went past her lips only to frown when they passed her without a glance. Naomi gritted her teeth in slight shame.  _Damn it! That was my best smile right there!_ She fumed silently as the two younger sons brushed past her and sat in between Dino and Giotto with Fuuta sitting on the lap of the  _black sheep_  of the family.

She hid her sneer behind a false mask as she sat down on her chair situated just slightly to the right of the Sawada children. For some reason, the dull child came off as an annoying little tick that she needed to get rid off. This  _Tsunayoshi_  as they call him looked so out of place and he had the nerve to sit in between his two undeniably good-looking brothers?

 _Well,_ she drawled,  _he can sit there for all he likes but that wouldn't last for long._ The glint in her eyes wasn't unnoticed by the silent man leaning against the bookshelf of the living room. He pulled his fedora hat down to shadow his face. Reborn smirked as he watched the reporter start the interview. She wasn't the only one who had something up their sleeves.

...

Tsuna sat still, his back tense and his fingers trembling slightly, warranting the attention of his younger brother. Fuuta turned to him, concern laced in those honeyed orbs which made him even  _more_  agitated than he already was.

"Tsuna-nii? Are you okay?" The soft query of his baby brother didn't go unnoticed by Giotto much to Tsuna's dismay.

"Tsunayoshi?" His older brother whispered quietly, his voice devoid of emotion but Tsuna knew his sibling well enough to know that he was worried as well. And just to his  _luck_ , Dino, of all people, decided to join in.

"Tsu-chan? What's wrong?" The brunet fidgeted in his seat as three pairs of eyes focused on him. Seriously! They should get the hint that he was way  _way_ uncomfortable with the current setting. Not only was he going to appear on television for the first time in his miserable life, but he was also forced to remove his safety blanket!

In his case, it wasn't actually a blanket but his glasses. Tsuna fought the urge to run away as fast as he can. All his life, he never went anywhere without his glasses. They were a source of comfort for him. It was a means for him to hide behind the safety of his obscured vision, and the only thing preventing him from continuously comparing himself from his overly gorgeous family. Besides, he looked plain even without them, though his brothers begged to differ. They weren't good judges when it came to him. They were just too biased when it comes to anything related to him.

"Tsuna-nii?"

A pale hand was suddenly grasping his, the warmth covering his palms enough to shake him from his daze. Tsuna looked up and smiled small at their inquiring gazes. There was also  _that._  Even though his family made him feel insecure, they also made him feel the most loved because for some reason they doted on him so much when they weren't so busy running around the continent doing their gigs.

"I'm fine." Tsuna muttered softly, both his hands now held captive by his siblings—his right in Fuuta's and his left in Giotto's hand. Dino wasn't one to be left out of the loop though, so instead, he wrapped an arm around his waist, firmly holding him close. It gave little assurance but the combined warmth of his brothers was enough to stop his trembling.

All these small acts of familial intimacy weren't lost to Naomi as her mouth twitched at the unpleasant interaction. Smiling sweetly, a bit too sweetly in Reborn's tastes, she turned to the brothers sitting close together. She had been waiting for this. Throughout her questioning of the Sawada couple's life, her mind kept wandering towards the sons so closely plastered together.

"Now, if I remember correctly, Sawada-san, only three of your sons are in the showbiz industry?" She started slow. She didn't want anyone noticing her eagerness to know this  _unknown_  son the Sawadas.

Nana flashed her a genial smile, her right hand interlaced with Iemitsu's. "Yes, Dino-kun and Gio-kun have always showed interest even during their childhood. Fuu-chan just wanted to start out early." The three sons nodded in confirmation. Naomi smiled.  _This is it!_

"Then, how about Tsunayoshi-san?" Naomi smiled a little when he saw the cornered look in those caramel eyes. Really, even without those round glasses, Sawada Tsunayoshi still looked dull and oddly misplaced. He obviously inherited his looks from Nana but he looked really pathetic sitting there surrounded by his family.

"Tsu-chan's passion had always been his studies. He aspires to be a university professor someday." Dino answered for Tsuna, obviously delighted that he could boast about his 'favorite' brother.

Tsuna wanted to groan and wished the couch he was sitting on would swallow him whole. Dino wasn't making the situation better by goading like this because he knew well enough that the reporter didn't like him in the slightest. He could feel her animosity even from where he sat.

"A professor? What an aspiring young man."  _Not._ Tsuna tried not to wince at her obvious lie. "But Tsunayoshi-san, were you never inspired to enter the entertainment industry as well?" Tsuna knew well what she was implying.

'Why aren't you as good as your family?'

The brunet felt Giotto's hold on his hand get tighter. It seems he wasn't the only one who understood the unspoken message. Tsuna brushed his thumb over his brother's hand and smiled briefly when he felt the tense grip became loose. Taking a deep breath, he shakily directed his gaze at Naomi.

"N-No." Tsuna swallowed nervously. "I-I j-just like studying." He murmured barely audible but heard nonetheless. He felt the Dino's hand around his waist tighten, trying in his own subtle way to encourage him. Unfortunately, Tsuna didn't feel  _encouraged_  in the least not when the woman interviewing them was trying not to growl at him.

"I see. Then, Dino-san, how's your new album..." She easily disregarded him, finally having enough of him and Tsuna tried not to flinch at the obvious dismissal. He kept his face straight, even though inside he wanted to cry a little. It seems that all the years he tried to be strong wasn't enough. His head dipped a little, strands of hair now covering his face. He had withdrawn into his world once again, missing the worried looks his brothers kept throwing at him.

...

Tsuna stared at his feet as he walked solemnly down the abandoned streets. It was closing midnight and for some reason, he wanted to aimlessly walk around. Sneaking out of his house had been easy, especially since Reborn was off with Giotto in Italy for another photo shoot. At least, they didn't forget his birthday this time. Though there was no celebration due to their packed schedules.

He heaved a sigh and stopped at the Namimori playground he used to frequent when he was younger. A sad smile flitted across his lips as he crossed the distance towards the swing. Sitting down, he marveled at the fact that this particular swing was still in tact. Carefully, he raised his feet and moved his body just enough for the swing to sway gently in the wind.

Focusing his gaze on the sky, he reminisced the day's events. Truthfully, it had been a horrible day and all he wanted was to bury himself in the mountains of pillows scattered on his bed. He felt heavy, miserable, and just downright lonely. What was wrong with him anyway?

He should be used to this. Years of being shadowed by his family should have made him immune to their brilliance, but it was just  _so_ hard not to feel insignificant in their presence. His eyes softened, his gaze still on the stars twinkling above.  _I'll always be dame-Tsuna, ne?_

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Tsuna's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat at the sudden intrusion, his head quickly twisting to his right. There stood a man with light blond hair with small tufts curled on both sides of his head. It made him look like a sheep. In spite of Tsuna's dark mood, his mouth quirked up when he saw the lollipop in between the sheep man's teeth.

"I'm fine really." The brunet didn't know why he was assuring a complete stranger that he was alright, but at least he didn't feel as if the man was dangerous. Sighing softly, he returned his gaze back at the sky, disregarding the presence of the man who just sat down on the swing next to his.

"What are you doing so late out at night?" Tsuna snorted.

"What are  _you_  doing so late out night?" The brunet shot right back at him. The unknown man smiled.

"Well, Shoichi and I have been here way before you stepped foot on this place. Oh, and I'm Spanner, by the way."

Tsuna stopped swinging, his eyes curious when the blond man pointed at the sand box. And there he saw, a redhead slouched on the sand, a camera gingerly placed on his lap and a box of some sort beside him. Tsuna raised an eyebrow at the strange sight.

"What happened to him? Spanner-san?" Tsuna tried the name. It rolled off his tongue quite easily. Spanner was an unusual name but it suited this man munching on his lollipop without a care in the world.

"Shoichi's on a roadblock and he can't get out of that slump." Tsuna pursed his lips in thought. Now, that was easy to figure out. Spanner didn't want him asking any more questions about what happened.

"Then, what about you, Spanner-san?" Spanner turned to him, an eyebrow quirked in question.

"You know, it's only common courtesy to say your name once someone introduced himself to you." His tone was playful but Tsuna knew he was serious. The brunet shrugged. What's the harm, anyway?

"My name's Tsunayoshi, but you can call me Tsuna." Spanner smiled this time, a bit intrigued at the casual introduction.

"I'm just accompanying Shoichi for now. Misery loves company, right?" Tsuna let out a small laugh, his eyes shining like twinkling gems. Spanner shamelessly stared, an idea slowly forming in his mind.

"Good for you both, then. As for me, I'm celebrating my birthday." Spanner immediately stopped his train of thoughts, his eyes wide for a moment before returning to their half-lidded state. He suddenly stood up surprising his companion as he did.

"Spanner-san?"

Tsuna blinked when he saw his new, found, misery partner all but haul the redhead sitting on the sandbox. He watched them curiously as this Shoichi person struggled in Spanner's arms before relenting. They stopped before him and sat down without preamble on the ground. He blinked once again.  _Huh. What a strange duo._

"A birthday celebration isn't a celebration without a birthday cake." Spanner stated resolutely, his hands already working on removing the lid off the white box in his arms. Shoichi sighed beside him.

"Tsuna-san, I apologize if Spanner's weird. He's not really Japanese, that's why he's so forceful." Tsuna grinned.

"I figured that when he approached me a while ago." Shoichi shot him a grateful smile before turning their attention to whatever it was Spanner was doing. Tsuna followed the redhead's line of vision and failed to suppress the gasp of surprise that escaped his lips.  _It...was...I-It's..._

"Beautiful..."

He stared at the white, pristine cake in awe. The swan-shaped cake seemed to sparkle in the middle of the flickering candles which Spanner meticulously lighted one by one. To Tsuna's amazement, the candles were in the shape of small lotus flowers and they surrounded the lone swan in the middle of what seemed a makeshift pond made of icing. The decorative beads and the many edible lace surrounding the cake only accented the overall display.

Shoichi smiled at the revered expression on Tsuna's face. He coughed deliberately, trying to get the teen's attention, which he successfully did. "We were planning to use this cake for a shoot, but it was cancelled due to some unavoidable reasons. So we're lucky that we no longer have to throw it away." Tsuna couldn't hide his disbelief. Spanner shifted closer, the cake in his hands now settled on the brunet's lap.

"Happy Birthday, Tsunayoshi."

The candles flickered unsteadily as the winds of pre-winter assaulted his petite frame. Tsuna didn't pay attention to the cold biting at his skin. His whole attention on the breath-taking cake in front of him.

"Tsuna-san?" Shoichi called out uncertainly.

He watched as the motionless teen titled his head just enough to meet his gaze. Slowly but surely a small smile formed on those delicate lips. With shining eyes and a gentle smile on that endearing face, Shoichi couldn't help it, he had already snapped a picture before he could register what he just did.

Tsuna stared at him with wide eyes and for a moment, the redhead thought that he would get a punch on the face. He waited cautiously until he saw that surprised face melt into a wide grin and small, breathy chuckles resounded throughout the park. And in the eyes of the two spectators, Tsuna looked every bit the enchanting man Spanner first saw him as.

"Thank you, Spanner-san, Shoichi-san."

Shoichi smiled once again when he saw that angelic expression on Tsuna's face. Another click of his camera and he knew his work was done for the day. He chanced a gaze at Spanner who was also regarding him out of the corner of his eye, their eyes connected for a second before they both contented themselves in watching the lithe brunet gawking at his cake. One message had been conveyed clearly though.

"Ne, Tsuna-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Would it be alright if I used your picture?" Tsuna was still staring at his cake, the candles long blown out by the wind, when he absentmindedly answered.

"Sure."

...

_Three days later_

At 1:40 p.m., disaster strikes the Sawada family. From one member to another, their screeches of disbelief were heard throughout the neighborhood. Even Giotto who was half-across the globe couldn't contain his anger when he hounded Reborn for an answer.

A devilish smirk was plastered on Reborn's face when he saw the newspaper ad. Because lo and behold, featured on the front page was the new image on the bulletin board of Namimori district. It was none other than Sawada Tsunayoshi holding a lovely looking cake in his hands, while smiling so brilliantly beautiful that it caught the attention of the media three seconds flat.

"What the  _fuck_ is the meaning of this?" Reborn raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Never did he hear Giotto cuss before. The manager shrugged. Well, there's a first time for everything. His cellphone rang before he could answer Giotto.

"What's the meaning of this, Reborn!" Dino hollered from the other side of the phone and this time around, he couldn't resist the urge to sigh.  _Right._ He had almost forgotten  _that._

All this time Reborn knew his dame student had those  _godly_  genes just like everyone in his family. Because if he had three of the leading figures in showbiz wrapped in his little pinky, surely, it meant  _something._ If there was one major flaw he could pinpoint in the Sawada family, it would be their  _unhealthy_ obsession with the third child. Reborn swiped the newspaper from Giotto's hand and easily ignored the murderous glare directed at him.  _  
_

 _With a smile like that,_ Reborn reflected in amusement,  _even I can't say I'm not a victim._

Too bad, the source of all the catastrophe happening that day was snoring away in his room, blissfully unaware of the trauma he inflicted on his family. Well, who could blame him? It was a Sunday.

* * *


End file.
